After almost eight years, Alessandro Michele has resigned as Gucci's creative director. During that time, he helped the Italian fashion house turn around its fortunes. The luxury house's parent company, Kering, made the announcement and noted that the 49-year-old designer played a crucial part in making the brand what it is. In a statement, François-Henri Pinault,…
The luxury house’s parent company, Kering, made the announcement and noted that the 49-year-old designer played a crucial part in making the brand what it is. With no prior experience running a large brand and having joined Gucci as a handbag designer, Michele’s selection to the position of CEO in 2015 came as a surprise. But as the brand’s appeal seemed to be waning, he oversaw a significant reworking of its image, abandoning the overtly seductive style established by his predecessor Tom Ford in favour of a more whimsical style known as “geek chic.”
While shrewd partnerships with companies like Adidas and The North Face helped the brand connect to a wider audience, his genderfluid collections also blurred the boundaries between the menswear and womenswear lines of the company.